Cbrietian 
Qcicncc 

Distort 


BY 


SEPTIMUS  J.  HANNA. 


I*.  ••  • 
•  !• 


CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE   HISTORY, 


A  STATEMENT  OF  FACTS  KELATING  TO  THE  AUTHORSHIP 

OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  SCIENCE  TEXT-BOOK,    "SCIENCE 

AND  HEALTH  WITH  KEY  TO  THE  SCRIPTURES," 


BY 

SEPTIMUS   J.  HANNA 


THE   CHRISTIAN  SCIENCE   PUBLISHING  SOCIETY, 

95  Falmouth  Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

1899. 


Copyright,  1899,  by 
The  Christian  Science  Publishing  Society. 


CONTENTS. 


Prefatory  Remarks •        •        •        •        .      5 

Falsehoods     ...  ...••••.9 

As  TO  her  Last  Class     .,        ,        •        .        .        •        ,        .        .11 

Specific  Cases ,        •        •        .11 

Not  a  Pope 13 

Unfair   Methods 13 

Mrs.  Eddy's  Charities 15 

Her  Tenderness  toward  Others'  Views 15 

Spiritual  Sense 16 

Early  Literary  Career 17 

Church  Associations ,        .17 

Writing  of  the  Text-Book 19 

Thankful    Hearts 20 

Expressions  of  Friendship 21 

They  of  her  own  Household 23 

One  OF  the  MOST  Serious  Falsehoods .24 

As  to  Dr.  Quimby 25 

More  of  Dr.  Quimby 33 

From  Mrs.  Eddy 35 

Another  Letter  from  Mrs.  Eddy 36 

Mr.  Kimball  Refutes  the  Falsehood 37 

Refutation  of  another  Falsehood 38 


^•51881 


CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE   HISTOEY. 


PREFATORY   REMARKS. 

The  purpose  of  this  booklet  is  to  present  to  all  fair- 
minded  people  a  few  facts  in  contradistinction  to  falsehoods 
as  to  the  life  and  work  of  the  Rev.  Mary  Baker  G.  Eddy,  the 
author  of  the  Christian  Science  text-book,  "Science  and 
Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures/'  and  the  Dis- 
coverer and  Founder  of  Christian  Science. 

Many  years  ago,  John  Gay,  an  English  poet,  penned  these 
truthful  lines : — 

He,  who  would  free  from  malice  pass  his  days, 
Must  live  obscure,  and  never  merit  praise. 

No  great  moral  or  religious  reformer,  in  ancient  or 
modern  times,  has  escaped  the  truth  of  this  poetic  sentiment. 

Mrs.  Eddy,  as  the  greatest  religious  reformer  of  modern 
times,  has,  in  some  measure,  shared  the  fate  of  her  pred- 
ecessors. As  in  other  cases,  so  in  her  case,  adverse  criti- 
cism or  opposition  have  come  from  two  classes — those  who 
entirely  misapprehend  the  scope  and  purpose  of  the  reforma- 
tion, or  those  who,  having  sought  a  knowledge  of  Christian 
Science,  as  did  some  of  old  time,  for  the  loaves  and  fishes, 
and  having  been  disappointed  in  carrying  out  their  selfish 
ends,  have  turned  with  the  rage  of  envy  and  malice  upon 
her  who  desired  to  be  their  benefactor,  and  (vainly)  seek 
to  injure  her. 

Her  early  struggles  against  the  unworthy  and  selfish, 
and  the  trials,  difficulties,  and  persecutions,  growing 
out  of  a  misunderstanding  of  her  mission,  during  the 
formulatory  period  of  her  labors,  have  become  a  matter 

5 


^       /',  \  \:l  ',.:  '  CRRiSTIAN  SCIENCE   HISTORY. 

of  well-known  history.  The  many  thousands,  neverthe- 
less, both  within  and  without  the  ranks,  who  are  cognizant 
of  the  wonderful  and  beneficent  results — even  thus  far — 
of  her  self-sacrificing  labors,  have  done  her  meet  homage, 
and  every  day  the  number  is  increasing. 

We  have  but  to  point  to  her  book  'Tulpit  and  Press," 
published  in  1895,  now  in  its  seventh  edition,  in  part  cor- 
roboration hereof. 

This  book  abounds  in  extracts  from  the  press,  according 
to  Mrs.  Eddy  fair  and  sincere  recognition  of  her  achieve- 
ments and  her  rightful  place  in  history.  I  briefly  cull 
from  two  or  three  papers,  as  a  fair  index  to  all. 

The  Chicago  Inter  Ocean  said : — 

In  1866,  while  living  in  Lynn,  Mass.,  Mrs.  Eddy  (then 
Mrs.  Glover)  met  with  a  severe  accident  and  her  case  was 
pronounced  hopeless  by  the  physicians.  There  came  a 
Sunday  morning  when  her  pastor  came  to  bid  her  good- 
bye before  proceeding  to  his  morning  service,  as  there  was 
no  probability  that  she  would  be  alive  at  its  close.  Dur- 
ing this  time  she  suddenly  became  aware  of  a  divine  illu- 
mination and  ministration.  She  requested  those  with  her 
to  withdraw,  and  reluctantly  they  did  so,  believing  her 
delirious.  Soon,  to  their  bewilderment  and  fright,  she 
walked  into  the  adjoining  room,  ''and  they  thought  I  had 
died,  and  that  it  was  my  apparition,"  she  said. 

From  that  hour  dated  her  conviction  of  the  principle  of 
divine  healing,  and  that  it  is  as  true  to-day  as  in 
the  days  when  Jesus  of  Nazareth  walked  the  earth.  "I 
felt  that  the  divine  Spirit  had  wrought  a  miracle,"  she 
said,  in  reference  to  this  experience.  "How,  I  could  not 
tell,  but  later  I  found  it  to  be  in  perfect  Scientific  accord 
with  the  divine  law."  From  1866  to  1869,  Mrs.  Eddy 
withdrew  from  the  world  to  meditate,  to  pray,  to  search  the 
Scriptures. 

From  the  Boston  Sunday  Globe: — 

Mrs.  Eddy  applied  herself,  like  other  girls,  to  her  studies, 


CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE    HISTORY.  7 

though  perhaps  with  an  unusual  zest,  delighting  in  phi- 
losophy, logic,  and  moral  science,  as  well  as  looking  into  the 
ancient  languages,  Hebrew,  Greek,  and  Latin. 

Her  last  marriage  was  in  the  spring  of  1877,  when,  at 
Lynn,  Mass.,  she  became  the  wife  of  Dr.  Asa  Gilbert  Eddy. 
He  was  the  first  organizer  of  a  Christian  Science  Sunday 
School,  of  which  he  was  the  superintendent,  and  later  he 
attracted  the  attention  of  many  clergymen  of  other  denomi- 
nations by  his  able  lectures  upon  Scriptural  topics.  He 
died  in  1882.  Mrs.  Eddy  is  known  to  her  circle  of  pupils 
and  admirers  as  the  editor  and  publisher  of  the  first 
official  organ  of  this  sect.  It  was  called  the  Journal  of 
Christian  Science,  and  has  had  great  circulation  with  the 
members  of  this  fast-increasing  faith. 

In  recounting  her  experiences  as  the  pioneer  of  Chris- 
tian Science,  she  states  that  she  sought  knowledge  con- 
cerning the  physical  side  in  this  research  through  the 
different  schools  of  allopathy,  homoeopathy,  and  so  forth, 
without  receiving  any  real  satisfaction.  No  ancient  or 
modern  philosophy  gave  her  any  distinct  statement  of  the 
science  of  mind  healing.  She  claims  that  no  human  reason 
has  been  equal  to  the  question. 

And  she  also  defines  carefully  the  difference  in  the 
theories  between  faith  cure  and  Christian  Science,  dwell- 
ing particularly  upon  the  terms  belief  and  understanding, 
which  are  the  key  words  respectively  used  in  the  defini- 
tions of  these  two  healing  arts.  .  .  .  Mrs.  Eddy  believes 
that  "the  laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire,"  and,  moreover, 
that  he  deserves  to  have  a  home  and  family  of  his  own. 
Indeed,  one  of  her  motives  in  buying  so  large  an  estate 
was  that  she  might  do  something  for  the  toilers,  and  thus 
add  her  influence  toward  the  advancement  of  better  home 
life  and  citizenship. 

From  the  Jackson  Patriot,  Jackson,  Mich. 

In  a  previous  article  we  have  referred  to  cyclic  changes 
that  came  during  the  last  quarter  of  preceding  centuries. 
Of  our  remarkable  nineteenth  century  not  the  least  event- 
ful circumstance  is  the  advent  of  Christian  Science.     That 


8  CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE   HISTORY. 

it  should  be  the  work  of  a  woman  is  the  natural  outcome 
of  a  period  notable  for  her  emancipation  from  many  of 
the  thraldoms,  prejudices,  and  oppressions  of  the  past. 
We  do  not,  therefore,  regard  it  as  a  mere  coincidence  that 
the  first  edition  of  Mrs.  Eddy's  ''Science  and  Health'"' 
should  have  been  published  in  1875.  Since  then  she  has 
revised  it  many  times,  and  the  ninety-first  edition  is 
announced.  Her  discovery  was  first  called  ''the  science  of 
divine  Metaphysical  healing."  Afterward  she  selected  the 
name  Christian  Science.  It  is  based  upon  what  is  held 
to  be  scientific  certainty,  namely,  that  all  causation  is  of 
Mind,  every  effect  has  its  origin  in  desire  and  thought. 
The  theology — if  we  may  use  the  word — of  Christian  Sci- 
ence is  contained  in  the  volume  entitled,  "Science  and 
Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures.'"' 

From  The  Reporter,  Lebanon,  Ind. 

Rev.  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  Discoverer  and  Founder  of 
Christian  Science,  author  of  its  text-book,  "Science  and 
Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures/"'  president  of  the 
Massachusetts  Metaphysical  College,  and  first  pastor  of 
the  Christian  Science  denomination,  is  without  doubt  one 
of  the  most  remarkable  women  in  America.  She  has 
within  a  few  years  founded  a  sect  that  has  over  one  hun- 
dred thousand  converts,  and  very  recently  saw  completed 
in  Boston  as  a  testimonial  to  her  labors,  a  handsome  fire- 
proof church  that  cost  $250,000,  and  was  paid  for  by 
Christian  Scientists  all  over  the  country. 

Mrs.  Eddy  asserts  that  in  1866  she  became  certain  that 
"all  causation  was  Mind  and  every  effect  a  mental  phe- 
nomenon." Taking  her  text  from  the  Bible,  she  endeavored 
in  vain  to  find  the  great  curative  principle — the  Deity — 
in  philosophy  and  schools  of  medicine,  and  she  concluded 
that  the  way  of  salvation  demonstrated  by  Jesus  was  the 
power  of  Truth  over  all  error,  sin,  sickness,  and  death. 
Thus  originated  the  divine  or  spiritual  science  of  Mind 
Healing,  which  she  termed  Christian  Science. 

She  concludes  her  book  "Pulpit  and  Press"  with  the 
following  statement : — 


CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE    HISTORY  9 

From  Canada  to  New  Orleans,  and  from  the  Atlantic  to 
the  Pacific  Ocean,  I  have  received  leading  newspapers  with 
uniformly  kind  and  interesting  articles  at  or  about  the  date 
of  the  dedication  of  the  Mother  Church.  They  were,  how- 
ever, too  voluminous  for  these  pages;  hence  I  abridged 
those  I  copied,  and  could  append  only  a  few  of  the  names 
of  other  prominent  newspapers  whose  articles  were  re- 
luctantly omitted. 

FALSEHOODS. 

For  years  it  has  been  periodically  asserted  by  the 
falsifiers  that  Mrs.  Eddy  was  dead,  and  that  her  students 
are  concealing  the  fact,  and  falsely  using  her  name. 

That  she  is  a  confirmed  invalid,  too  feeble  to  perform 
any  labor  whatever. 

That  she  is  confined  in  an  insane  asylum  at  Concord, 
New  Hampshire. 

The  fact  that  Mrs.  Eddy,  ever  since  she  has  resided  in 
Concord — over  ten  years — has  been  seen  by  scores  of 
Concord  people  taking  her  daily  ride,  in  storm  or  sun- 
shine, and  is  known  by  thousands  to  be  one  of  the  busiest 
and  hardest-working  persons  in  the  world,  is  a  sufficient 
refutation  of  the  falsehood  about  the  state  of  her  health. 

As  to  the  silly  sophistry  about  her  insanity,  I  would  say, 
that  if  one  who  is  doing  the  mighty  work  for  humanity  that 
she  is  doing,  is  insane,  in  God's  name  let  us  have  a  whole 
world  of  insane  people! 

Is  there  a  clearer-headed  woman  in  the  world  than  she 
who  can  marshall  a  force  of  700,000  of  as  good  men  and 
women  as  are  on  our  planet,  dictate  orders,  command  and 
countermand  with  love,  and  the  response  follow  all  along  the 
lines  in  heavenly  harmony — with  one  Mind,  one  God — 
amen ! 

It  is  no  new  thing  under  the  sun  that  great  reformers, 
and    especially    religious    reformers,    moving    in    advance 


10  CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE   HISTORY. 

of  supposedly  settled  religious  conceptions,  are  accounted 
insane  by  those  who  are  unable  to  understand  their  high 
mission.  Such  misapprehensions  of  God  and  His  laws 
have  so  largely  prevailed  and  been  handed  down  the  ages, 
that  a  system  of  religion  based  on  spiritual,  instead  of 
material  premises,  is  thought  to  be  supernatural,  and  the 
spiritual  by  many  is  deemed  to  be  absurd,  if  not  uncanny. 

Current  mortal  thought  is  unaware  that  the  spiritual  is 
the  only  truly  natural,  and  that  the  natural,  so-called,  can 
only  be  understood  through  the  lens  of  spiritual  perception. 

An  anonymous  writer  has  well  said  that  "To  undertake 
to  account  for  spiritual  by  the  logic  of  material  phenomena, 
is  an  infinitely  greater  paradox  than  to  express  a  mother's 
ecstasy  in  algebraic  terms,  or  to  analyze  grief  by  the  chem- 
istry of  a  tear." 

If  even  human  mentality  defies  the  highest  reaches  of 
material  science,  is  it  strange  that  the  divine  or  spiritual 
should  transcend  human  analysis  ? 

A  student  for  whom  Mrs.  Eddy  has  shown  much  long- 
suffering  and  patience  has  been  endeavoring  to  create  a 
furor  by  making  personal  attacks  upon  Mrs.  Eddy,  and  is 
now  attempting  to  show  that  she  obtained  her  first  knowl- 
edge of  Christian  Science  or  mental  healing  from  the  late 
Dr.  Phineas  P..Quimby,  to  whom  reference  is  more  fully 
made  hereafter.  The  falsehoods  set  afloat,  fail  to  settle 
into  the  general  thought,  against  whom  they  are  directed, — 
all  effort  to  bring  about  such  a  result  by  flooding  the  press, 
pulpit,  and  postofUces  therewith  to  the  contrary  notwith- 
standing. 

•  Mrs.  Eddy  is  above  noticing  such  reports.  In  her  mar- 
velous charity  she  has  hitherto  forborne  to  lift  the  curtain 
on  her  calumniator.  But  God  will  do  this  in  His  own  time 
and  way,  for  "There  is  nothing  covered  that  shall  not 
be  revealed;  and  hid,  that  shall  not  be  known." 


CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE    HISTORY.  11 

AS  TO  HER  LAST  CLASS. 

Mrs.  Eddy  writes  to  me:  "In  my  last  class  I  did  not 
refer  to  mental  malpractice, — its  members  generally  had 
taken  the  primary  course,  and  this  instruction  properly 
romes  before  that  class.  Without  a  question  the  student 
of  Christian  Science  is  not  qualified  to  teach,  preach,  or  to 
practise  divine  Metaphysics  who  knows  not  thoroughly 
how  wisely  and  successfully  to  handle  this  heinous  sin — 
mental  malpractice.  Without  this  understanding  he  can- 
not separate  the  tares  from  the  wheat  and  destroy  the 
tares — he  cannot  divide  between  an  impartation  from  the 
immortal  or  divine  Mind,  and  temptation,  or  the  evil 
suggestion  of  human  thought  and  argument,  but  this  must 
be  done  in  order  to  obey  the  former  and  to  resist  and 
destroy  the  latter,  and  not  till  it  is  done  will  he  be  protected 
and  imbued  with  wisdom  and  power  to  rise  superior  to 
evil  suggestions.  This  attainment  is  indispensable  whereby 
to  establish  a  student  on  the  Scientific  basis  of  Christian  Sci- 
ence." 

She  further  writes  of  this  class:  "In  1898  I  selected  and 
taught  a  class  of  students,  glad  to  give  to  the  world  such 
men  and  women  to  demonstrate  Christian  Science." 

SPECIFIC  CASES. 

I  now  mention  some  specific  cases,  showing  the  reckless 
manner  in  which  statements  are  made  about  distinguished 
people. 

A  business  man  of  Concord,  N.  H., — a  man  of  average  in- 
telligence,— within  two  years  past  stated  unqualifiedly  that 
Mrs.  Eddy  could  neither  read  nor  write;  yet  she  was 
born  and  educated  near  Concord,  and  for  several  years  pre- 
viously to  this  incident  had  resided  in  that  city.     How  easily 


12  CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE   HISTORY. 

could  this  man,  had  he  chosen,  have  informed  himself  as  to 
the  truth ! 

A  Christian  Scientist  residing  in  Foxcroft,  Maine,  sent  to 
a  friend  of  his,  who  is  a  Methodist  minister,  a  copy  of  the 
Christian  Science  Sentinel,  containing  some  editorial  re- 
marks upon  a  sermon  preached  against  Christian  Science  by 
the  Rev.  W.  A.  Bartlett.  A  newspaper  published  some  ex- 
tracts from  this  sermon  and  commented  briefly  upon  it. 
The  Bristol  (N.  H.)  Enterprise  republished  these,  giving 
credit  only  to  an  exchange.  The  copy  came  to  the  editor 
of  the  Sentinel  with  the  word  ''Exchange"  at  the  bottom  of 
the  article  cut  off,  so  that  it  appeared  to  have  been  published 
by  the  Bristol  Enterprise.  This  led  the  editor  of  the  Senti- 
nel to  the  inference  that  Mr.  Bartlett  was  a  resident  of 
Bristol,  N.  H.,  which  proved  to  have  been  an  error,  and  the 
Methodist  minister  in  question  called  attention  to  this  error 
by  a  letter  written  to  his  Scientist  friend.  This  letter  con- 
tained an  unqualified  charge  against  Mrs.  Eddy,  which  I 
literally  quote: — 

"A  few  days  ago,  she  [Mrs.  Eddy]  sent  to  a  man  near  my 
home,  the  executor  of  the  estate  of  an  old  woman  who  had 
just  'passed  on,'  a  bill  for  $250  for  'treatment.'  She  had 
never  seen  the  woman  and  will  never  see  the  $250." 

It  will  be  observed  that  this  charge  was  made  as  if  based 
upon  actual  personal  knowledge.  The  gentleman  in  Fox- 
croft, Maine,  forwarded  the  minister's  letter  to  me  to  know 
if  this  were  true.  I  knew  it  was  false,  as  she  has 
not  for  years  received  or  treated  a  single  patient.  I  re- 
quested our  correspondent  to  call  upon  his  friend,  the 
minister,  for  the  proof  of  his  charge.  He  accordingly  did 
so,  and  the  minister  at  first  positively  refused  to  furnish  it. 
My  correspondent  was  not  disposed  to  let  the  matter  rest 


CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE   HISTORY.  13 

there,  and  insisted  that  the  proof  must  be  forthcoming. 
After  some  delay,  the  minister  thus  wrote  him : — 

"It  now  appears  that  my  informant  was  in  error,  and  that 
the  bill  did  not  come  direct  from  Mrs.  Eddy,  but  from  one 
of  her  satellites  or  disciples  who  probably  did  the  'treatment' 
act.  And  thus  endeth  this  chapter,  and  now  let  us  have 
peace." 

Having  shown,  as  I  started  out  to  do,  that  our  minis- 
terial friend  was  entirely  mistaken  in  his  very  positive  state- 
ment, I  am  quite  willing  to  let  the  chapter  end  here.  I 
have,  however,  no  more  to  do  with  personality  in  this  case 
than  in  the  others. 

NOT  A  POPE. 

Mrs.  Eddy  has  been  likened  to  a  pope.  Whereas  she 
exercises  no  power  over  her  Church  of  above  thirteen 
thousand  members — apart  from  compliance  with  its  By- 
laws which  the  Church  adopts,  and  she  declines  to  receive 
even  a  salary.  Her  large  income  is  the  result  of  her  grow- 
ing popularity  as  an  author  and  the  increasing  demand 
for  her  books  all  over  the  continent.  Self-deification  or 
worship  she  abhors — as  all  know  who  have  a  true  knowl- 
edge of  her,  and  whose  honesty  keeps  pace  with  their  con- 
victions. The  hundreds  of  thousands  who  adhere  to  her 
do  this  simply  from  love,  because  of  the  benefit  they  have 
received  from  her  works. 

UNFAIR  METHODS. 

In  Mrs.  Eddy's  article  published  in  a  number  of  news- 
papers, among  others,  the  Boston  Traveler,  entitled, 
^'Leader's  Counsel,"  addressed  to  the  Church  in  Concord, 
N.  H.,  a  typographical  error  occurred,  which  made  one 
clause    of   this   address    read    as    follows:    "Rest    assured 


14:  CHRISTIAN  SCIENCE   HISTORY. 

that  the  injustice  done  by  press  and  pulpit  in  this  denomi- 
nation will  cease/'  etc.,  whereas,  it  should  have  read  "to" 
this  denomination." 

The  lecture  which  Rev.  Irving  C.  Tomlinson  delivered 
at  Music  Hall,  Boston,  contained  a  reference  to  Biblical 
history  to  which  Mrs.  Eddy  took  exception,  and  published 
her  correction  in  the  Christian  Science  Sentinel  and  Journal. 
Mr.  Tomlinson  at  once  graciously  removed  this  reference 
from  his  lecture.  In  his  lecture  he  thus  reverently  refers 
to  Christ  Jesus : — 

''Christian  Scientists  regard  Christ  Jesus  as  the  crown 
and  glory  of  God's  creation.  In  him  all  that  is  worthy 
among  men  finds  complete  fulfilment.  He  is  the  great 
physician,  who,  through  the  understanding  of  infinite  Mind, 
healed  all  manner  of  diseases.  He  is  the  high-priest,  who, 
through  the  knowledge  of  the  power  of  Spirit,  first  scien- 
tifically destroyed  sin  in  all  its  forms.  He  is  the  good  Sa- 
maritan, who,  realizing  the  infinite  resources  of  omnipotent 
Good,  with  scientific  certainty,  first  bound  up  the  gaping 
wounds  of  humanity. 

"What  to  the  building  is  its  foundation,  what  to  the 
ripening  clusters  is  the  parent  vine,  what  to  the  temple  is 
its  fair  entrance,  that  Christ  Jesus  is  to  Christian  Science. 
He  is  the  corner-stone  of  the  godlike  structure  that  in  his 
name  we  are  striving  to  rear  aloft.  He  is  the  vine,  we 
are  the  branches,  which,  with  their  ripening  fruit,  draw 
their  strength  and  life  from  him.  He  is  the  door  through 
which  we  would  enter  and  abide  within  the  holy  of  holies. 
Wherefore  we  each  and  all  say  with  our  Leader,  the  Dis- 
coverer and  Founder  of  Christian  Science,  the  Reverend 
Mary  Baker  Eddy,  'All  Christian  Scientists  deeply  recog- 
nize the  oneness  of  Jesus.'  "  The  typographical  errors  were 
as  promptly  corrected  as  was  possible,  yet  the  papers  contain- 


CHRISTIAN  SCIENCE   HISTORY.  15 

ing  them  were  industriously  circulated  by  the  person  seeking 
to  make  capital  out  of  them. 

MRS.    eddy's    charities. 

In  view  of  the  publicity  now  given  to  Mrs.  Eddy's 
large  charities,  it  will  not  again  be  charged  by  fair-minded 
people  that  she  is  a  mercenary  person.  Her  charities  dur- 
ing the  last  three  years  have  averaged  $88,987  per  year. 
This  statement  is  furnished  by  her  bookkeeper  and  taken 
verbatim  from  her  books.  With  her  economical  mode  of 
living  she  could  readily  be  a  millionaire,  but  it  gives  her 
more  pleasure  to  do  good  than  to  make  money.  She  now 
seldom  gives  to  beggars,  having  learned  from  sad  experi- 
ence the  effects  thereof.  She  never  gives  to  be  seen  of 
men,  but  to  such  persons  as  she  knows  to  be  needy  and  to 
such  objects  as  are  worthy. 

In  years  past  when  Mrs.  Eddy  began  to  teach  Christian 
Science,  she  kept  a  ''Christian  Scientists'  Home" — and  her 
teaching,  room,  and  board  were  gratuitous.  In  subsequent 
years  she  received  into  each  of  her  college  classes  some 
indigent  students,  who,  after  receiving  a  free  course  of 
instruction,  went  away,  earned  the  money,  and  sent  her 
their  tuition  with  a  letter  declaring:  "Nothing  can  pay 
for  what  you  have  taught  me."  As  a  rule  she  returned 
the  money  with  her  thanks.  Strange  to  say  it  is  her 
charity  students,  or  those  she  taught  with  the  hope  of 
reforming  them,  who  have  sought  to  hide  from  the  public 
her  real  character,  and  to  abuse  it. 

HER  tenderness  TOWARD   OTHERS'   VIEWS. 

Mrs.  Eddy  has  recently  said  in  a  letter  to  me:  "A  new 
discovery  of  science  always  has  awakened  the  world  to  fierce 
combat,  and  Christian  Science  is  no  exception  to  this  rule. 


16  CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE   HISTORY. 

I  have  even  marveled  at  the  press  and  pulpit's  patience 
with  me,  when  I  have  taken  away  their  gods,  and  they 
knew  not  where  I  had  laid  them;  and  humbly  thank  God, 
and  the  vox  populi,  for  these  signs  of  our  times." 

SPIRITUAL    SENSE. 

In  a  communication  to  me  dated  July  21,  1899,  Mrs. 
Eddy  writes :  — 

**  In  justice  to  myself,  and  the  readers  of  your  booklet,  I 
send  a  brief  explanation  of  my  writings,  that  appeared  in 
your  first  editions,  and  has  been  quoted  by  a  clergyman 
and  ignorantly  or  intentionally  misconstrued.  The  spirit- 
ual sense  referred  to  therein  is,  the  discerning  of  the  pur- 
pose of  a  mental  malpractitioner  whose  thoughts  turn  on 
me  with  evil  intent.  This  spiritual  discernment  is  neither 
universal,  nor  indiscriminate  mind  reading.  It  is  a  con- 
sciousness wherewith  good  is  done  and  no  evil  can  be  done. 
This  phenomenon  appeared  in  my  childhood,  is  associated 
with  my  earliest  memories  and  has  increased  with  my  spirit- 
ual increase.  It  has  aided  me  in  healing  the  sick,  and 
subordinating  the  human  to  the  Divine.  While  this  meta- 
physical phenomenon  puzzles  poor  philosophy,  and  is  not 
in  the  slightest  degree  theosophy,  hypnotism,  clairvoyance, 
or  an  element  of  the  human  mind,  I  regard  it  as  a  com- 
ponent part  of  the  Science  of  Mind  not  yet  understood." 

Our  Master  perceived  the  thought  of  their  heart.  Solo- 
mon says,  *'  A  prudent  man  forsef^t'i  the  evil,  and  hideth 
himself."  "Until  the  facts  concerning  error — namely  its 
nothingness — appear,  the  moral  demand  will  not  be  met, 
and  the  ability  to  make  nothing  of  error  will  be  wanting.*' 

Science  and  Health- 


CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE    HISTORY.  17 

EARLY    LITERARY    CAREER. 

Mrs.  Eddy's  own  writings,  as  well  as  authentic  histor- 
ical works  and  encyclopaedias,  show  that  many  years  be- 
fore she  began  her  real  life-work  in  the  field  of  religion  and 
metaphysics,  even  in  her  girlhood  days,  she  had  attained  to 
high  standing  and  recognition  as  a  writer  of  unusual  merit, 
in  both  prose  and  poetry,  and  had  contributed  liberally  to 
the  press  and  periodicals,  as  shown  by  many  of  her  produc- 
tions yet  extant.  She  had  also  appeared  before  public 
audiences  in  the  capacity  of  a  lecturer  on  important  topics, 
receiving  the  plaudits  of  learned  and  discriminating  people 
wherever  she  was  heard.  Not  only  so,  but  prior  to  enter- 
ing upon  her  mission  as  a  Christian  Scientist,  Mrs.  Eddy 
had  a  large  circle  of  friends,  many  of  whom  have  passed 
away:  but  many  thousands  yet  live  who  love  her.  I 
can  truthfully  say  that  she  is  universally  beloved  by  those 
who  know  her  best,  and  has  to-day  more  friends  than  any 
other  woman  of  whom  I  know, — friends  who  appreciate 
and  acknowledge  her  worth  and  work. 

CHURCH  ASSOCIATIONS. 

At  the  age  of  twelve  years  Mrs.  Eddy  was  admitted  to 
membership  in  the  Congregational  (Trinitarian)  Church,  of 
which  body  her  parents  had  been  members  for  half  a  century. 
In  this  association  she  had  many  dear  friends.  In  her 
book  entitled  ^'Retrospection  and  Introspection,"  published 
in  1893,  s^^  t^^s  refers  to  her  admission  into  this  Church : — 

In  connection  with  this  event,  some  circumstances  are 
noteworthy.  Before  this  step  was  taken,  the  doctrine  of 
Unconditional  Election,  or  Predestination,  greatly  troubled 
me;  for  I  was  unwilling  to  be  saved,  if  my  brothers  and 
sisters  were  to  be  numbered  among  those  who  were  doomed 
to  perpetual  banishment  from  God.  So  perturbed  was  I  by 
the  thoughts  aroused  by  this  erroneous  doctrine,  that  the 


18  CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE   HISTORY. 

family  doctor  was  summoned,  and  pronounced  me  stricken 
with  fever. 

My  father's  relentless  theology  emphasized  belief  in  a 
final  Judgment  Day,  in  the  danger  of  endless  punishment, 
and  in  a  Jehovah  merciless  towards  unbelievers ;  and  of  these 
things  he  now  spoke,  hoping  to  win  me  from  dreaded  heresy. 

My  mother,  as  she  bathed  my  burning  temples,  bade  me 
lean  on  God's  love,  which  would  give  me  rest,  if  I  went  to 
Him  in  prayer,  as  I  was  wont  to  do,  seeking  His  guidance. 
I  prayed;  and  a  soft  glow  of  ineffable  joy  came  over  me. 
The  fever  was  gone,  and  I  rose  and  dressed  myself,  in  a 
normal  condition  of  health.  Mother  saw  this,  and  was  glad. 
The  physician  marveled;  and  the  horrible  decree  of  Predes- 
tination— as  John  Calvin  rightly  called  his  own  tenet — for- 
ever lost  its  power  over  me. 

When  the  meeting  was  held  for  the  examination  of  can- 
didates for  membership,  I  was  of  course  present.  The  pas- 
tor was  an  old-school  expounder  of  the  strictest  Presbyterian 
doctrines.  He  was  apparently  as  eager  to  have  unbelievers 
in  these  dogmas  lost,  as  he  was  to  have  elect  believers  con- 
verted, and  rescued  from  perdition;  for  both  salvation  and 
condemnation  depended,  according  to  his  views,  upon  the 
good  pleasure  of  infinite  Love.  However,  I  was  ready  for 
his  doleful  questions,  w^hich  I  answered  without  a  tremor, 
declaring  that  never  could  I  unite  with  the  Church,  if  assent 
to  this  doctrine  was  essential  thereto. 

Distinctly  do  I  recall  what  followed.  I  stoutly  main- 
tained that  I  was  willing  to  trust  God,  and  take  my  chance 
of  spiritual  safety  with  my  brothers  and  sisters, — not  one  of 
whom  had  then  made  any  profession  of  religion,^even  if 
my  credal  doubts  left  me  outside  the  doors.  The  minister 
then  wished  me  to  tell  him  when  I  had  experienced  a  change 
of  heart;  but  tearfully  I  had  to  respond  that  I  could  not 
designate  any  precise  time.  Nevertheless,  he  persisted  in 
the  assertion  that  I  had  been  truly  regenerated,  and  asked 
me  how  I  felt  when  the  new  light  dawned  within  me.  I 
replied  that  I  could  only  answer  him  in  the  words  of  the 
Psalmist:  ''Search  me,  O  God,  and  know^my  heart;  try  me, 
and  know  my  thoughts;  and  see  if  there  be  any  wicked  way 
in  me,  and  lead  me  in  the  way  everlasting." 


CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE    HISTORY.  19 

This  was  so  earnestly  said,  that  even  the  oldest  church- 
members  wept.  After  the  meeting  was  over  they  came  and 
kissed  me.  To  the  astonishment  of  many,  the  good  clergy- 
man's heart  also  melted,  and  he  received  me  into  their  com- 
munion, and  my  protest  along  with  me.  My  connection 
with  this  religious  body  was  retained  till  I  founded  a  Church 
of  my  own,  built  on  the  basis  of  Christian  Science,  "J^^us 
Christ  himself  being  the  chief  corner-stone. 

Upon  severing  her  connection  with  her  old  Church  Mrs. 
Eddy  received  the  following  letter  of  dismissal  from  the 
pastor : — 

January  13,  1875. 

This  certifies  that  Mrs.  Mary  M.  Glover  is  a  member  of 
this  Church  in  good  and  regular  standing.  At  her  own 
request,  she  is  dismissed  from  this  and  recommended  to  any 
evangelical  Church  in  Lynn. 

When  received  there  her  particular  connection  with  us  will 
cease.  Theodore  C.  Pratt. 

Pastor  of  Congregational  Church,  Tilton,  N.  H. 

In  the  year  1878  Mrs.  Eddy  was  called  to  preach  in  Boston 
at  the  Baptist  Tabernacle  of  the  Rev.  Daniel  C.  Eddy, 
D.  D., — by  the  pastor  of  that  church.  She  accepted  the  call, 
and  during  her  ministry  there  the  congregation  so  increased 
in  number  that  the  pews  were  not  sufficient  to  seat  the  audi- 
ence and  benches  were  used  in  the  aisles.  At  the  close  of 
her  engagement  she  parted  with  her  friends  there  in  Chris- 
tian fellowship,  although  not  in  full  unity  of  doctrine. 

WRITING  OF  THE  TEXT-BOOK. 

Many  incidents,  showing  Mrs.  Eddy's  reputation  as  a 
writer  and  worker  in  church  and  benevolent  societies,  might 
here  be  chronicled,  but  that  is  not  the  purpose  of  this  work, 
and  our  space  will  not  warrant  further  elaboration  of  this 
subject.  Not  until  after  she  began  her  investigations  and 
labor  in  the  field  of  Christian  metaphysics  and  of  writing  the 


20  CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE   HISTORY. 

Christian  Science  text-book,  can  she,  in  any  true  sense,  be 
said  to  have  been  obscure.  During  this  time  she  necessarily 
secluded  herself  from  the  world  and  society.  She  could 
not  otherwise  have  done  her  work.  For  three  years  pre- 
vious to  commencing  the  writing  of  ''Science  and 
Health'''  she  had  been  deeply  immersed  in  the  study  of 
Scripture,  to  ascertain  its  spiritual  import.  That  some  of 
her  former  friends  and  associates  in  the  Church,  and  out  of 
it,  who  believe  that  all  the  spiritual  truth  necessary  to  hu- 
man good  has  already  been  given  to  the  world,  and  there 
is  no  need  of  further  investigation  or  revelation,  should 
have  lost  interest  in  her,  or  even  have  turned  away  from 
her,  as  some  did,  is  not  strange.  Such  things  have  been 
usual  in  the  case  of  reformers  in  all  ages.  But  for  every 
friend  lost  by  reason  of  her  departure  from  the  old  condi- 
tions, she  has  gained  thousands  in  her  new  and  higher  life. 

THANKFUL  HEARTS. 

Thankful  hearts  all  over  the  world,  because  of  the  bene- 
ficial results  of  her  labors,  have  risen  up  and  called  her 
blessed,  and  are  daily  doing  so.  They  are  not  only  glad  to 
call  her  their  friend  and  benefactor,  but  by  common,  and 
almost  unknown  impulse,  they  endow  her  with  the  endearing 
name  of  "Mother."  In  this  world  of  selfishness,  where 
hatred  and  malice  have  so  large  a  place,  is  it  not  indeed  a 
happy  and  hopeful  thing  that  there  should  be  such  touching 
evidences  of  love  and  gratitude  as  those  manifested  toward 
the  Leader  of  this  great  movement?  Ought  it  not  to  be 
cause  for  rejoicing,  rather  than  condemnation  and  criticism, 
among  good  people  everywhere  ?  One  of  the  most  touching 
sights  ever  coming  under  my  personal  observation,  has  been 
the  spontaneity  and  depth  of  feeling  with  which  great,  strong 
men  have  stood  in  the  presence  of  this  woman — slight  of 


CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE    HISTORY.  21 

physique — although  she  is  five  feet  and  five  inches  tall — • 
and  called  her  ''Mother."  ^ 

What  does  this  mean  ?  It  is  not  her  personality  that  in- 
spires this  feeling  on  the  part  of  those  who  know  her.  It  is 
explainable  only  on  the  ground  of  the  largeness  of  her 
spiritual  nature  and  the  depth  of  her  conception  of  the  love 
of  God — a  conception  so  great  that  it  is  radiated  uncon- 
sciously to  herself.  This  indefinable  atmosphere  sur- 
rounding her,  and  its  effect  upon  those  brought  in  contact 
with  hea*,  leads  to  the  misapprehension  that  her  fol- 
lowers worship  her  personality.  Their  reverence  for  her  is 
based,  not  on  her  personality  or  on  personal  sense,  but  in 
the  fact  that  she,  more  than  any  other  person  known  tb 
them,  has  shown  them  the  way  out  of  disease  and  false 
human  conditions,  into  the  higher  and  better  way  of  spir- 
itual understanding,  life,  and  love. 

While  it  is  doubtless  true  that  Mrs.  Eddy's  adherents  may 
not  always  be  as  wise  as  they  are  zealous  in  the  way  they 
refer  to  their  Leader,  I  know  the  charge  that  they  worship 
her  personality  to  be  wholly  without  foundation.  This 
charge  is  easily  traceable,  as  to  its  origin,  to  a  class  of  per- 
sons whose  own  personality  is  yet  their  god. 

EXPRESSIONS    OF    FRIENDSHIP. 

I  deem  it  not  inappropriate  to  note  a  few  of  the  recent 
expressions  of  love,  friendship,  and  gratitude  for  Mrs. 
Eddy  by  some  who  are  well  enough  acquainted  with  her 
and  her  labors  for  humanity — including  themselves — to  be 
able  to  speak  truthfully  and  intelligently. 

First:  we  quote  from  the  remarks  of  the  Hon.  Wm. 
G.  Ewing,  a  prominent  lawyer  and  jurist  of  Illinois,  who 
has  recently  retired  from  the  bench  of  the  Superior  Court 
of  Chicago.     In  introducing  Mrs.  Annie  M.  Knott  on  the 


22  CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE    HISTORY. 

occasion  of  her  lecture  in  Detroit,  Mich.,  February  13, 
1899,  in  speaking  of  Mrs.  Eddy  he  said :  "She  is  a  second 
great  Mary  who  has  taught  the  world  how  to  know  God." 
Speaking  of  Christian  Science:  "It  was  brought  to  the 
world  over  thirty  years  ago,  born  from  the  suffering  and 
pain  of  Mrs.  Eddy,  whom  I  have  no  hesitation  in  deliber- 
ately pronouncing  the  most  marvelous  woman  of  all  the 
ages." 

The  Hon.  Joseph  R.  Clarkson,  of  Omaha,  Neb.,  an  emi- 
nent lawyer  and  ex-judge  of  the  district  court  there,  in 
an  article  published  in  the  Christian  Science  Sentinel  thus 
speaks : — • 

"How  can  one  acquaint  himself  with  God?  By  study- 
ing 'Science  and  Health  with  Key  to  the  Scrip- 
tures/ and  other  works  by  Mrs.  Mary  Baker  G.  Eddy, 
and,  with  God's  help,  living  the  life  they  teach,  for  they 
teach  what  Jesus  taught,  and  enable  mankind  to  follow 
in  Jesus'  footsteps.  They  tear  away  the  veil  which  has 
more  or  less  darkened  the  pages  of  Scripture  and  endue 
them  with  the  brightness  which  God's  words  should  reflect. 

"Mrs.  Eddy's  writings  arouse  an  insatiate  hunger  for 
more  of  the  Bible,  more  of  God,  more  of  the  Christ,  more 
of  Jesus,  more  of  the  Holy  Comforter;  incite  a  glorious 
zeal  for  strife  in  God's  cause,  after  His  way,  and  beget 
a  quiet  scorn  for  that  life  which  deems  itself  complete  in 
mortal  man." 

The  Hon.  Hoke  Smith  of  Atlanta,  Ga.,  publicly  refer- 
ring to  Mrs.  Eddy,  said:  "It  is  an  indisputable  fact  that 
Mrs.  Eddy  is  the  most  illustrious  woman  of  the  continent." 

The  Hon.  James  A.  D.  Richards  of  Ohio,  an  ex-member 
of  Congress,  says :  "I  am  reading  the  writings  of  that  grand 
woman,  who  has  brought  incalculable  blessings  to  the 
human  race." 


CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE   HISTORY.  23 

Sir  Douglas  Gallon,  of  England,  in  his  address  on  the 
occasion  of  the  dedication  of  the  Christian  Science  church 
in  London,  thus  tenderly  speaks  of  her :  — 

*'We  have  here  a  rich  word  from  our  Leader  and 
Teacher,  our  beloved  Mother  in  Israel,  Mary  Baker  G. 
Eddy." 

The  Right  Honorable  Charles  Adolphus  Murray,  Earl 
of  Dunmore,  Scotland,  in  a  recent  letter  to  Mrs.  Eddy  said : 
*'Your  good  works  speak  for  themselves." 

The  Marchioness  of  Bath,  England,  writes  to  Mrs. 
Eddy:— 

'1  wish  I  could  tell  you  half  the  deep,  heart-felt  grati- 
tude and  love  I  feel  toward  you  for  this  glorious  Truth 
you  have  imparted  to  us." 

Mr.  Henry  D.  Nunn,  a  prominent  newspaper  man  of 
Colorado,  himself  the  beneficiary  of  marvelous  healing  in 
Christian  Science,  in  a  recent  number  of  the  Denver 
Republican  J  said : — 

"To  the  Christian  Scientist  who  has  been  freed  from 
pain,  and  vice,  and  despair,  through  the  proclamation  of 
Truth  by  Mary  Baker  G.  Eddy,  it  seems  natural  and  right 
to  feel  grateful.  Deplorable  as  was  the  condition  of  the 
chattel  slave,  his  yoke  was  easy,  compared  to  the  abject 
wretchedness  of  thousands  of  slaves  to  whiskey,  morphine, 
lust,  or  wasting  disease  who  have  been  cleansed  and  re- 
deemed by  the  marvelous  power  of  Truth,  as  unfolded  in 
her  book,  'Science  and  Health  with  Key  to  the 
Scriptures.''  ■" 

they  of  her  own  household. 

For  the  truest  and  best  knowledge  of  Mrs.  Eddy  we 
love  to  turn  to  those  who  have  severally  been  in  her 
home,    four,    eleven,    and   seventeen   years,    namely:    Miss 


24  CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE    HISTORY. 

Julia  S.  Bartlett  of  Boston;  Mrs.  Laura  E.  Sargent  of 
Oconto,  Wis. ;  Miss  Clara  M.  S.  Shannon  of  Montreal, 
Canada;  Mr.  Calvin  A.  Frye  of  Concord,  N.  H.,  and  many 
others.  These  persons  are  good  characters;  they  are  not 
her  kindred,  but  they  know  her  every-day  life.  Let  them 
be  asked  what  they  think  of  Mrs.  Eddy.  Doubtless  they 
will  tell  you  of  her  sternness,  but  will  also  tell  you  of  her 
patience,  wisdom,  and  love;  and  they  will  answer  for  her, 
as  the  world  cannot,  from  observation  and  experience.  It 
would  do  any  one  good  to  hear,  as  I  have  heard,  their 
heartfelt  tributes  to  her  who  has  rebuked  andi  blessed  them 
by  counsel  and  example.  The  fact  is,  those  who  know 
this  wonderful  woman,  or  her  writings,  appreciate  her  just 
in  proportion  to  their  understanding  of  her,  and  the  quan- 
tity and  quality  of  their  own  goodness. 

ONE    OF    THE    MOST    SERIOUS    FALSEHOODS. 

The  following  pages  specifically  refute  one  of  the  most 
serious  falsehoods  which  have  been  circulated  against  Mrs. 
Eddy.  I  have  no  apology  to  offer  for  publishing  them, 
and  only  ask  a  just  and  discriminating  public  disinter- 
estedly to  read  and  then  pass  judgment. 

The  authorship  of  a  book  which  is  revolutionizing  the 
world, — as  "Science  and  Health  with  Key  to  the 
Scriptures"  is  doing, — is  too  important  a  matter  to  be 
passed  lightly  by.  Those  who  have  studied  this  book  suffi- 
ciently to  have  even  a  small  understanding  of  its  import, 
wonder  that  there  should  be  claimed  any  relationship  be- 
tween Dr.  Quimby's  writings  and  this  work.  Those  who 
have  studied  it  with  such  a  measure  of  understanding  that, 
as  a  result  thereof,  they  have  been  able  to  heal  themselves 
of  the  most  serious  diseases,  and  also  to  heal  others,  are 
unable  to  comprehend  such  a  claim.  Those  who  study  the 


CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE   HISTORY.  25 

Christian  Science  Bible  Lessons,  made  np  of  alternate  cita- 
tions from  the  Bible  and  "Science  and  Health/'  touch- 
ing and  illuminating  the  Bible  at  every  point,  see  the 
unmistakable  connection  between  them,  and  know  that 
^'Science  and  Health"  is  truly  what  it  purports  to  be, 
a  spiritual  key  to  the  Scriptures. 

I  have  had  the  privilege  of  reading  well  authenticated 
copies  of  Dr.  Ouimby's  MSS.,  and  also  extracts  from  his 
original  pennings  as  published,  purporting  to  be  authentic; 
and  I  can  truthfully  say,  that  no  intelligent,  unbiased  person, 
having  any  understanding  or  ability  to  understand  the 
teaching  of  "Science  and  Health  with  Key  to  the 
Scriptures/'  could  for  a  single  moment  be  made  to  be- 
lieve that  there  is  the  slightest  resemblance  between  the 
two.  That  the  author  of  the  mighty  spiritual  truths  which 
form  the  web  and  woof  of  the  Christian  Science  text-book 
could  have  borrowed  the  smallest  ray  of  light  from  Dr. 
Ouimby's  fragmentary  jottings,  however  meritorious  in 
themselves,  is  too  preposterous  for  a  moment's  serious  con- 
sideration. 

It  is  quite  manifest  from  Dr.  Ouimby's  MSS.,  that  his 
conceptions  and  those  of  the  author  of  "Science  and 
Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures/'  are,  as  has  been 
well  stated  by  another,  "at  polar  opposites." 

Only  those  having  a  ready  predisposition  to  being  duped 
will  be  misled  by  the  ridiculous  claims  put  forth  by  those 
who  seek  to  exalt  themselves  by  attempting  to  injure  an- 
other. 

AS    TO    DR.    QUIMBY. 

In  view  of  the  recent  revival  of  the  old  and  outworn 
falsehoods  as  to  the  authorship  of  the  Christian  Science 
text-book,   "Science  and   Health   with    Key  to   the 


26  -CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE   HISTORY. 

Scriptures/'  I  herewith  republish  certain  articles  here- 
tofore published  in  the  Boston  Post,  the  Boston  Trav- 
eler, and  the  Christian  Science  Journal. 

The  Rev.  Mary  Baker  Eddy  being  so  generally  known  and 
so  universally  recognized  as  the  author  of  "Science  and 
Health^''  it  seems  incredible  that  persons  at  this  late 
day  should  have  the  hardihood  to  raise  any  question  rela- 
tive to  her  authorship.  For  years  before  she  consented  to 
consult  Dr.  P.  P.  Quimby, — as  he  was  called  a  quack, — she 
had  attained  pathological  and  religious  views  of  the  broad- 
est sort  admissible  at  that  date. 

Following  are  two  letters  which  appeared  several  years 
ago  in  the  Boston  Post  and  the  Boston  Traveler. 

The  Founder  of  the  Mental  Method  of  Treating  Disease. 

To  the  Editor  of  the  Boston  Post : — 

We  were  interested  in  your  late  article  on  mental  healing, 
having  been  acquainted  with  the  late  Dr.  Phineas  P.  Quimby, 
who  died  many  years  ago,  and  whom  we  regarded  highly. 
He  was  a  contemporary  of  the  noted  mesmerist,  Dr.  Newton, 
and.  often  amused  us  with  his  unique  descriptions  of  their 
mesmeric  performances.  He,  Dr.  Quimby,  told  as  one 
evening,  on  our  way  to  a  lecture  at  the  city  hall  in  Portland, 
Me.,  that  he  would  exhibit  some  of  his  power  to  us  in  the 
hall.  Accordingly,  after  we  were  seated,  he  said  to  us,  ''I 
shall  set  them  to  coughing,"  and  immediately  one  after  an- 
other commenced  coughing,  until  the  assembly  in  general 
joined  in  chorus,  longer  or  shorter,  according  to  directions. 
Then  all  of  a  sudden  the  coughing  stopped,  but  our  laughter 
was  not  over,  for  immediately  the  people  commenced  sneez- 
ing as  if  a  sudden  coryza  had  seized  them,  and  pocket  hand- 
kerchiefs were  in  quick  requisition. 

Dr.  Quimby's  method  of  treating  the  sick  was  manipula- 
tion; after  immersing  his  hands  in  water  he  rubbed  the  head, 
etc.  He  never  called  his  practice  a  mental  method  of  treat- 
ing disease,  to  our  knowledge;  and  we  knew  him  and  his 
history.     He  was  very  successful  in  many  cases  ot  lameness. 


CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE   HISTORY.  27 

We  asked  him  several  times  if  he  had  any  system  of  treating 
disease  aside  from  manipulation  and  mesmerism,  and  he 
always  evaded  the  subject.  We  were  his  patient,  but  he 
never  gave  us  any  further  information  relative  to  his  prac- 
tice, but  always  said,  ''It  is  a  secret  of  my  own,  and  I  have 
thought  best  not  to  divulge  it."  After  treating  the  sick  he 
would  retire  to  a  side  room  and  note  with  a  pen  the  especial 
case,  with  such  other  paraphrase  as  he  thought  best.  This 
copy  he  gave  to  certain  individuals  to  bring  out,  or,  as  he 
said,  ''put  into  shape."  His  scribblings  were  fragmentary, 
but  sometimes  very  interesting.  He  requested  us  to  trans- 
form them  frequently,  and  to  give  them  different  meanings, 
which  we  did.  He  never  took  a  student,  to  our  knowledge, 
or  gave  'nformation  of  his  healing  that  was  practical.  He 
called  his  scribblings,  essays,  blit  never  the  "Science  of 
Health."  "Science  and  Health"''  is  a  work  by  Mrs. 
Mary  B.  G.  Eddy,  issued  in  1875.  She  discovered  the  sci- 
ence of  healing  embodied  in  that  work,  after  years  of  prac- 
tical proof,  through  homoeopathy,  that  Mind  instead  of 
matter  is  the  principle  of  pathology,  and  finally  sealed  her 
proof  by  a  severe  casualty,  from  which  she  recovered 
through  her  exercise  of  mental  power  over  the  body,  after 
the  regular  physicians  had  pronounced  her  case  incurable. 

For  eighteen  years  Mrs.  Eddy  has  been  toiling  with  pen 
and  tongue  to  explain  her  discovery  of  the  science  of  mental 
healing,  and  thousands  owe  their  recovery  from  hopeless 
suffering  and  their  knowledge  cf  mental  healing  to  her  un- 
selfish labors.  Her  books  have  been  widely  circulated. 
"Science  and  Health''  is  in  its  fifth  edition  [It  is  now 
— May,  1899 — in  its  165th  edition  of  one  thousand  copies 
each].  A  grateful  multitude  acknowledge  the  blessings  of 
her  mental  system  of  treating  disease.  Perhaps  the  follow- 
ing, in  the  words  of  her  husband,  the  late  Dr.  Asa  G.  Eddy, 
best  expresses  it :  "Mrs.  Eddy's  works  are  the  outgrowths  of 
her  life.     I  never  knew  so  unselfish  an  individual." 

The  last  time  Mrs.  Eddy  saw  Dr.  Quimby,  and  a  short 
time  before  his  death,  he  said  to  her,  "I  owe  to  you  all  the 
popularity  I  have  in  Portland."  She  had  sent  some  leading 
articles  through  the  press  that  helped  destroy  the  prejudice 
against  Dr,  Quimby,  and  announced  his  practice  an  improve- 


28  CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE   HISTORY. 

ment  on  animal  magnetism.  Mrs.  Eddy  has  established  a 
Metaphysical  College  in  Boston,  chartered  by  the  Common- 
wealth in  1 88 1,  where  the  mental  treatment  of  disease  is 
taught  on  the  strict  principle  of  Christian  Science. 

Eugene  Greene^  Providence,  R.  I. 

To  Whom  it  May  Concern. 

Mr.  George  A.  Quimby,  son  of  the  late  Phineas  P. 
Quimby,  over  his  own  signature  and  before  witness,  stated 
in  1883,  that  he  had  in  his  possession  at  that  time  all  the 
manuscripts  that  had  been  written  by  his  father.  And  I 
hereby  declare  that,  to  expose  the  falsehood  of  parties  pub- 
licly intimating  that  I  have  appropriated  matter  belonging 
to  the  aforesaid  Quimby,  I  will  pay  the  cost  of  printing  and 
publishing  the  first  edition  of  those  manuscripts  with  the 
author's  name: — 

Provided,  that  I  am  allowed  first  to  examine  said  manu- 
scripts, and  do  find  that  they  were  his  own  compositions,  and 
not  mine,  that  were  left  with  him  many  years  ago,  or  that 
they  have  not  since  his  death,  in  1866,  been  stolen  from  my 
published  works.  Also  that  I  am  given  the  right  to  bring 
out  this  one  edition  under  the  copyright  of  the  owner  of 
said  manuscripts,  and  all  the  money  accruing  from  the  sales 
of  said  book  shall  be  paid  to  said  owner.  Some  of  his  pur- 
ported writings,  quoted  by  Mr.  D ,  were  my  own  words, 

as  near  as  I  can  recollect  them. 

There  is  a  great  demand  for  my  work  ''Science  and 
Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures/'  hence  Mr. 
D 's  excuse  for  the  delay  to  publish  Quimby's  manu- 
scripts namely,  that  this  period  is  not  sufificiently  enlightened 
to  be  benefited  by  them  (  ?),  is  lost,  for  if  I  have  copied  from 
Quimby,  and  my  book  is  accepted,  it  has  created  a  demand 

for   his.  MARY   BAKER  G.   EDDY. 

Boston  Traveler,  May  21,  1887. 

Second:  I  republish  from  the  Christian  Science  Journal 
an  extract  from  a  letter  written  to  Mrs.  Eddy  by  one  of  her 
students. 


CHRISTIAN  SCIENCE   HISTORY.  29 

Uncovered. 

BY  REV.  MARY  B.  G.  EDDY. 

The  following  extract  copied  from  a  letter  to  me  recently 
received  from  a  well-known  Christian  Scientist,  may  at  least 
amuse  the  readers  of  our  Journal. 

After  doing  justice  to  this  subject,  I  had  dropped  it,  as 
we  naturally  turn  away  from  a  fossilized  falsehood.  But 
evidence  and  testimony  on  the  side  of  Truth  are  always  in 
order,  and  proverbially  better  late  than  never. 

*Tt  might  be  interesting  for  you  to  know  that  Mr.  A.  J. 
Swartz  of  Chicago,  went  to  see  the  late  Dr.  P.  P.  Quimby's 
son,  and  procured  his  father's  writings  for  the  purpose  of 
having  them  published  in  order  to  show  the  world  that  your 
ideas  were  borrowed  from  Quimby.  After  having  examined 
them,  to  their  utter  disappointment,  it  was  found  there  was 
nothing  that  would  compare  in  any  way  to  'Science  and 
Health;'  and  he,  Swartz,  concluded  that  it  would  aid  you 
too  much  to  publish  them,  so  they  were  returned  to  the 
owner. 

''Mrs.  Swartz  saw  and  read  these  MSS.  and  she  gave  me 
this  information.  Mary  H.  Philbrick. 

"Austin,  111.,  May  i8,  1892." 

Third:  I  republish  from  the  Journal  of  Christian  Sci- 
ence of  October  6,  1883,  parts  of  a  decision  of  the  United 
States  Circuit  Court  at  Boston,  bearing  essentially  upon  the 
subject  in  hand.  The  defendant  in  the  action  having  since 
deceased,  by  request  of  Mrs.  Eddy,  we  "tread  lightly  on 
the  ashes  of  the  dead."  The  article  was  written  by  the 
Rev.  Mary  Baker  G.  Eddy,  and  is  thus  entitled : — 

Infringement  of  "Science  and  Health,"  etc.   The  Decision  of  the 
United  States  Circuit  Court. 

This  decision  was  based  upon  a  proceeding  instituted  by 
Mrs.  Eddy  against  one  Edward  J.  Arens,  to  restrain  him 
from  publishing  a  pamphlet  printed  and  issued  by  him, 
which,  for  the  most  part,  contained  matter  pirated  from 
the  works  of  Mrs.  Mary  Baker  G.  Eddy.     Some  time  later, 


30  CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE   HISTORY. 

the  said  Arens  having  published  another  pamphlet  differ- 
ing a  little  from  the  first  one,  the  bill  was  amended  to  in- 
clude this  second  piracy.  Arens,  in  his  answer,  alleged  that 
the  copyrighted  works  of  Mrs.  Eddy  were  not  original  with 
her,  but  had  been  copied  by  her,  or  by  her  direction,  from 
manuscript  originally  composed  by  Dr.  P.  P.  Quimby;  fur- 
ther stating,  that  he  had  not  published  nor  distributed  any 
of  the  pamphlets  complained  of  for  more  than  a  year  pre- 
vious to  the  time  of  his  answer. 

Testimony  was  taken  on  the  part  of  Mrs.  Eddy,  the  de- 
fendant, Arens,  being  present  in  person  and  by  counsel, 
which  testimony  showed  that  the  sworn  answer  of  Arens,  in 
which  he  averred  that  he  had  not  distributed  any  of  such 
pamphlets  within  the  past  year,  was  wholly  untrue ;  and  also 
showed  a  gross  and  wholesale  piracy  committed  by  Arens 
on  the  copyrighted  works  of  Mrs.  Eddy,  as  set  forth  in  her 
bill  of  complaint. 

The  time  for  taking  testimony  on  the  part  of  the  defend- 
ant, Arens,  having  nearly  expired,  he  gave  notice,  through 
his  counsel,  that  he  should  not  put  in  any  testimony,  and  a 
stipulation  for  a  judgment  and  decree  in  favor  of  Mrs.  Eddy 
was  drawn  up  and  signed  by  his  counsel.  [Note.  Mrs. 
Eddy  in  her  ''Miscellaneous  Writings,"  page  381,  referring 
to  the  failure  on  the  part  of  defendant  Arens'  counsel 
to  introduce  proof  in  support  of  his  answer,  says:  "Mrs. 
Eddy  requested  her  lawyer  to  inquire  of  defendant's  counsel, 
why  he  did  not  present  evidence  to  support  his  claim  that  Dr. 
Quimby  was  the  author  of  her  writings.  Accordingly,  her 
counsel  asked  the  defendant's  counsel  this  question,  and  he 
replied,  in  substance,  "There  is  no  evidence  to  present." — 
Ed.]  Upon  the  filing  of  this  stipulation,  the  following  de- 
cree was  made  by  the  Court : — 

CIRCUIT  COURT  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 
District  of  Massachusetts. 
Decree  for  perpetual  Injunction. 

Sept.  24,  1883.  It  is  ordered,  adjudged,  and  decreed  as 
follows :  that  the  copyright  heretofore  obtained  by  the  com- 
plainant under  the  name  of  Mary  Baker  Glover,  upon  the 


CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE    HISTORY.  31 

book  entitled  "The  Science  of  Man,  etc.,"  an(J  the  copyright 
upon  the  book  entitled  "Science  and  Health,"  Vol.  2,  by 
Mary  Baker  Glover  Eddy,  whereby  there  was  secured  good 
and  valid  copyrights,  that  the  said  defendant  has  infringed 
the  said  copyrights  and  upon  the  exclusive  rights  of  the 
complainant  under  the  same,  by  publication,  sale,  and  dis- 
tribution of  the  works  "The  Understanding  of  Christianity, 
or  God,  etc.,"  and  "Christianity,  or  the  Understanding  of 
God,  etc.,"  by  Edward  J.  Arens. 

And  it  is  further  ordered,  adjudged  and  decreed,  that  a 
perpetual  injunction  be  issued  against  the  defendant  accord- 
ing to  the  prayer  of  the  bill. 

And  it  is  further  ordered,  etc.,  that  the  complainant  re- 
cover of  the  defendant  her  cost  of  suit  taxed  at  ($113.09) 
one  hundred  thirteen  and  9-100  dollars. 

By  the  Court, 

Alex  H.  Trowbridge, 
Deputy  Clerk. 

And  upon  such  decree  the  following  injunction  was  issued 
and  served  upon  E.  J.  Arens : — 

UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA. 

Massachusetts  District,  ss. 
The  President  of  the  United  States  of  America  to 
E.  J.  Arens,  of  Boston,  in  the 

State  of  Massachusetts. 
Your  Agents  and  Servants  send 

Greeting. 
Whereas 

Mary  B.  G.  Eddy,  of  said  Boston,  has  exhibited  her  Bill 
of  Complaint  before  the  Justices  of  our  Circuit  Court  of  the 
United  States  for  the  First  Circuit,  begun  and  holden  at 
Boston,  within  and  for  the  District  of  Massachusetts,  on  the 
Fifteenth  day  of  May,  A.D.  1883,  against  you,  the  said 

Edward  J.  Arens, 
praying  to  be  relieved  touching  the  matters  therein  com- 
plained of;  and  whereas,  by  an  Order  from  said  Court,  made 
on  the  Twenty-fourth  day  of  September,  A.D.  1883,  it  was 


32  CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE   HISTORY. 

ordered  that  a  Writ  of  Injunction  issue,  under  the  seal  of  the 
said  Court,  to  restrain  you,  and  each  and  every  of  you,  from 
doing  all  the  matters  and  things,  from  the  doing  of  which 
you  are  prayed  to  be  restrained  in  said  Bill,  according  in  full 
with  the  prayer  of  said  Bill. 

We,  therefore,  in  consideration  thereof,  enjoin  and  com- 
mand you,  each  and  every  of  you  that  from,  and  immediately 
after  the  receipt  and  notice  of  this,  our  Writ,  by  you,  or  any 
of  you,  you  shall  not,  directly  or  indirectly,  print,  pubhsh, 
sell,  give  away,  distribute,  or  in  any  way  or  manner  dispose 
of  a  certain  work  or  book  entitled  'The  Understanding  of 
Christianity  or  God,  etc,"  by  Edward  J.  Arens:  or  a  cer- 
tain work  or  book  entitled  ''Christianity,  or  the  Under- 
standing of  God,  etc.,"  by  Edward  J.  Arens:  which  said 
books  are  copies  from,  and  infringements  of  the  copyrighted 
works  of  the  complainant,  as  set  forth  in  the  Bill  of  Com- 
plaint in  this  cause. 

Whereof,  you  are  not  to  fail,  on  pain  of  ten  thousand  dol- 
lars, to  be  levied  on  your  and  each  of  your  goods,  chattels, 
lands  and  tenements,  to  our  use. 
Witness     ' 

The  Honorable  Morrison  R.  Waite^  at  Boston,  this 
twenty-seventh  day  of  September,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord, 
one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  eighty-three. 

Alex.  H.  Trowbridge. 
Deputy  Clerk, 

UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA. 
Massachusetts  District,  ss. 

Boston,  Oct.  4,  1883. 
I  hereby  acknowledge  personal 
service  of  the  within  injunction. 
Edward  J.  Arens. 

It  seems  scarcely  necessary  to  add,  that  Mr.  Arens'  de- 
fense, as  set  forth  in  his  answer,  having  been  that  the  works, 
the  copyright  of  which  he  infringed,  w^ere  not  original  with 
Mrs.  Eddy,  he  would,  had  it  been  possible,  have  produced 
the  proof  necessary  to  support  his  answer.    It  is  evident  that 


^CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE    HISTORY.  33 

this  defense  was  vital  in  the  case,  as  he  apparently  had  no 
other.  The  fact  that  he  failed  to  produce  his  proof  is  con- 
clusive evidence  that  no  such  proof  existed. 

No  honest  or  disinterested  person,  in  the  face  of  this  rec- 
ord, would  undertake  to  falsify  the  record  by  insisting  that 
Mrs.  Eddy's  works  were  plagiarized  from  Dr.  Quimby's 
writings.  The  absurdity,  as  well  as  the  utter  falsity  of  this 
claim,  are  at  once  apparent.  As  a  mere  matter  of  self- 
respect,  if  for  no  other  reason,  the  persons  now  lending 
themselves  to  the  circulation  of  the  falsehood,  will  see  that 
they  are  merely  stultifying  themselves. 

MORE    OF    DR.    QUIMBY. 

Mrs.  Eddy  further  says  of  Dr.  Ouimby: — 

He  was  neither  a  scholar  nor  a  metaphysician.  I  never 
heard  him  say  that  matter  was  not  as  real  as  Mind,  or  that 
electricity  was  not  as  potential  or  remedial,  or  allude  to  God 
as  the  Divine  Principle  of  all  healing.  He  certainly  had 
advanced  views  of  his  own,  but  they  commingled  error  with 
truth,  and  were  not  Science.  On  his  rare  humanity  and 
sympathy  one  could  write  a  sonnet. 

In  the  same  article  Mrs.  Eddy  says  that  Dr.  Quimby  was 
a  magnetic  practitioner.  She  asked  him  "how  manipulation 
could  benefit  the  sick.  He  answered  kindly  and  squarely, 
in  substance,  'Because  it  conveys  electricity  to  them.'  That 
was  the  sum  of  what  he  taught  her  of  his  medical  pro- 
fession." 

Mrs.  Eddy  in  her  "Miscellaneous  Writings,"  page  379, 
further  says : — 

It  was  after  Mr.  Quimby's  death  that  I  discovered,  in 
1866,  the  momentous  facts  relating  to  Mind  and  its  superior- 
ity over  matter,  and  named  my  discovery  Christian  Science. 
Yet,  there  remained  the  difficulty  of  adjusting  in  the  scale 
of  Science  a  metaphysical  practice,  and  settling  the  question. 
What  shall  be  the  outward  sign  of  such  a  practice:  if  a 


34:  CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE   HISTORY. 

Divine  Principle  alone  heals,  what  is  the  human  modus  for 
demonstrating  this,— in  short,  how  can  sinful  mortals  prove 
that  a  Divine  Principle  heals  the  sick,  as  well  as  governs 
the  universe,  time,  space,  immortality,  man?"  Sho  adds: 
*'But  an  unlooked-for,  imperative,  call  for  help,  impelled 
me  to  begin  this  stupendous  work  at  once,  and  teach  the  first 
student  in  Christian  Science.  Even  as  when  an  accident 
called  fatal  to  life,  had  driven  me  to  discover  the  Science  of 
Life,  I  again,  in  faith,  turned  to  Divine  help, — and  com- 
menced teaching. 

The  results  of  that  first  teaching  have  spread  over  the 
world,  and  are  too  well  known  to  require  recapitulation  here. 

On  March  2,  1866,  the  late  Mr.  Julius  A.  Dresser  of 
Boston,  Mass.,  in  a  letter  to  Mrs.  Eddy  wrote, — "No;  I 
would  not  cure  if  I  could, — not  to  make  a  practice  of  it, — 
as  Dr.  Quimby  did." 

After  Mrs.  Eddy's  text-book  was  published  and  Mr. 
Dresser  had  read  it,  he  commenced  practising  as  a  healer 
of  the  sick,  and  remained  in  this  practice  until  his  death. 
Is  it  fair  to  conclude,  after  his  own  statement,  as  above, 
that  he  practised  according  to  Dr.  Quimby  ? 

Mr.  Edward  H.  Hammond  of  Baltimore,  Md.,  obtained 
a  written  statement  signed  by  Mr.  George  Quimby,  son  of 
Dr.  P.  P.  Quimby,  saying  that  at  that  date  (1883)  he  had 
in  his  possession  all  his  father's  manuscripts. 

Fourth:  I  republish  from  the  Christian  Science  Journal 
of  November,  1886,  the  following  attested  statement  in  ref- 
erence to  Dr.  Quimby' s  method  of  healing  the  sick : — 

I  was  treated  by  Dr.  P.  P.  Quimby,  in  Portland,  for 
neuralgia  in  the  head.  Mrs.  Eddy  was  also  a  patient  of  his. 
I  first  met  her  there,  and  it  was  in  the  summer  of  1862. 
His  mode  of  treating  the  sick  was  to  immerse  his  hands  in 
water  and  manipulate  their  heads.  My  father  (W.  P.  Mor- 
gan) offered  him  one  thousand  dollars  ($1,000)  to  explain 


CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE    HISTORY.  35 

his  method  of  treating  disease;  to  which  the  doctor  replied: 
'7  cannot;  I  do  not  understand  it  myself/'     I  never  knew  of 
his  attempting  to  teach  any  one.     His  method  was  entirely 
different  from  Mrs.  Eddy's  system  of  Christian  Science. 
(Witness)  Mrs.  E.  A.  Thompson. 

We  concur  in  affirming  the  known  truth  of  the  above 
statement. 

Mrs.  a.   D.   Morgan. 

W.  P.  Morgan,  A.M. 

Mrs.  a.  R.  Rutten. 
Minneapolis,  Minnesota,  September,  1886. 

Many  more  are  ready  to  bear  testimony  to  the  facts  as 
above  stated. 

FROM    MRS.   EDDY. 

Fifth :  To  the  foregoing  I  am  glad  to  add  the  following 
from  the  pen  of  Mrs.  Eddy : — 

In  1 86 1,  when  I  first  visited  Dr.  Quimby  of  Portland, 
Me.,  his  scribblings  were  descriptions  of  his  patients;  and 
comprised  the  manuscripts  that,  in  1887,  I  advertised  I 
would  pay  for  having  published.  Before  his  decease,  in 
January,  1866,  he  had  tried  to  get  them  published  and  failed. 
The  quotations  contained  in  the  article  above — purporting 
to  be  Dr.  Quimby's  own  words — were  written  while  I  was 
his  patient  in  Portland  and  holding  long  conversations  with 
him  on  my  views  of  mental  therapeutics.  Some  words  in 
these  quotations  certainly  read  like  words  that  I  said  to  him, 
and,  at  his  request  to  correct  his  copy,  had  added  thereto. 
In  his  conversations  with  me,  and  in  his  scribblings,  the  word 
Science  was  not  used  at  all,  till  one  day  I  declared  to  him 
that,  back  of  his  magnetic  treatment  and  manipulation  of 
patients,  there  was  a  Science,  and  it  was  the  science  of  Mind, 
that  had  nothing  to  do  with  matter,  electricity,  or  physics. 
After  this  I  noticed  he  used  that  word,  as  well  as  other  terms 
which  I  employed,  which  seemed  at  first  new  to  him.  He 
even  acknowledged  this  himself,  and  startled  me  by  saying, 
what  I  cannot  forget — ^it  was  this:  "I  see  now  what  you 
mean,  and  I  see  that  I  am  John,  and  that  you  are  Jesus." 


86  CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE   HISTORY. 

At  that  date  I  was  a  staunch  orthodox,  and  my  theological 
belief  was  offended  by  his  saying,  and  I  entered  a  demurrer 
that  rebuked  him.  But  afterwards  I  concluded  that  he  only 
referred  to  the  coming  anew  of  Truth,  which  we  both  de- 
sired; for  in  some  respects  he  was  quite  a  seer,  and  under- 
stood what  I  said  better  than  some  others  did — and,  for  one 
so  unlearned,  he  was  a  remarkable  man.  Had  his  remark 
related  to  my  personality,  I  should  still  think  it  was  profane. 
At  first  my  case  improved  wonderfully  under  his  treatment, 
but  relapsed.  I  was  gradually  emerging  from  materia 
me  die  a,  dogma,  and  creeds  and  drifting  whither  I  knew  not; 
this  mental  struggle  might  have  caused  my  illness.  The 
fallacy  of  materia  medica,  its  lack  of  science,  and  the  want  of 
divinity  in  scholastic  theology,  had  already  dawned  on  me. 
My  idealism,  however,  limped,  for  then  it  lacked  Science. 
But  the  divine  Love  will  accomplish  what  all  the  powers  of 
earth  combined  can  never  prevent  being  accomplished — the 
advent  of  divine  healing  and  its  Divine  Science. 

^  1    T.T    XX        r.  MARY  BAKER  G.  EDDY. 

Concord,  N.  H.,  1899. 


ANOTHER    LETTER    FROM     MRS.    EDDY. 

In  a  letter  to  the  editor  of  the  Christian  Science  Journal, 
April  25,  1899,  Mrs.  Eddy  writes, — 

When  I  advertised  in  1887  that  I  would  pay  for  pub- 
lishing P.  P.  Quimby's  manuscripts,  said  manuscripts  were 
withheld  from  the  public.  Since  then  they  have  been 
handled  and  compiled  by  those  who  have  had  oppor- 
tunity to  read  my  books,  which  may  account  for  his  so- 
called  book  being  published.  What  I  have  read  of  this 
nondescript,  I  regret  to  say,  is  disappointing  and  mis- 
guiding,— a  conglomeration  of  meaningless,  mortal  notions, 
half  mesmerism  and  half  nonsense. 

It  is  not  yet  explained  how  Mrs.  Eddy  could  have  "de- 
veloped" from  the  Quimby  source  *'a  system  of  thought 
radically  different  from  it."     To  plagiarize  is  to  publish 


CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE    HISTORY.  37 

matter  as  one's  own  that  was  written  by  another.     We  are 
thus  confronted  by  an  unheard-of  plagiarism. 

MR.    KIMBALL    REFUTES    THE    FALSEHOOD. 

In  his  lecture  on  Christian  Science,  delivered  in  the  First 
Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  Chicago,  March  i,  1899,  Mr. 
Edward  A.  Kimball,  C.S.D.,  thus  forcibly  spoke  upon  the 
fabrication  under  consideration : — 

There  is  one  falsehood,  however,  that  came  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  United  States  Courts  several  years  ago,  to 
the  eflect  that  Mrs.  Eddy  is  not  the  discoverer  of  Christian 
Science,  and  that  her  works  are  not  original.  The  Federal 
Court,  in  taking  cognizance  of  this  false  claim,  confirmed 
her  status  as  the  author  and  originator  of  the  substance  and 
details  of  her  text-book,  ''Science  and  Health/'  and  en- 
tered a  decree  of  injunction  against  the  would-be  infringer. 
A  well-ordered  mind  usually  accepts  such  a  decree  as  de- 
cisive and  conclusive. 

As  a  falsehood  which  has  been  exposed,  it  is  now  hoary 
with  age,  and  its  promulgators  should  have  become  weary  of 
the  use  for  which  it  is  being  urged  in  vain.  Nevertheless 
there  are  people  who  are  intent  on  assaulting  Christian  Sci- 
ence without  regard  to  ways  and  means,  who  rehabilitate 
this  fabulous  charge,  and  continue  it  in  ignoble  service. 

My  attention  has  been  called  to  a  sermon  preached  in 
Massachusetts  in  which  this  old  story  is  repeated  to  the  effect 
that  Mrs.  Eddy  got  her  ideas  from  the  manuscript  of  the  late 
Dr.  Quimby  of  Maine.  This  whole  question  of  originality 
was  involved  in  and  disposed  of  by  the  legal  decision  re- 
ferred to,  and  the  fact  that  Mrs.  Eddy  is  the  Discoverer  and 
Founder  of  Christian  Science  is  now  formulated  as  history 
and  acknowledged  by  encyclopaedias,  dictionaries,  and  bio- 
graphical works.  There  are,  however,  several  features  of 
the  case  which  the  court  decision  does  not  take  cognizance 
of,  and  which  are  worthy  of  mention. 

1.  Dr.  Quimby  was  an  avowed  mesmerist. 

2.  Christian  Science  and  mesmerism  are  like  polar  op- 


38  CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE    HISTORY. 

posites.     They  are  antipodes,  and  could  not  possibly  proceed 
from  the  same  ;-ource. 

3.  The  proposition  that  a  professional  mesmerist  could 
originate  "Science  and  Health/'  or  that  the  discoverer  of 
Christian  Science  could  also  be  a  mesmerist,  is  not  only  in- 
conceivable but  impossible. 

4.  People  who  have  examined  the  fragments  of  manu- 
scripts which  Dr.  Quimby  wrote,  and  made  the  examination 
with  a  view  of  using  them  to  discredit  Mrs.  Eddy's  position, 
have  admitted  that  they  were  valueless  for  such  a  purpose. 

REFUTATION  OF  ANOTHER  FALSEHOOD. 

In  refutation  of  the  oft-repeated  falsehood  that  Mrs.  Eddy 
courts  deification  or  claims  to  be  Christ,  I  republish  a 
telegram  from  Mrs.  Eddy  to  the  New  York  World,  pub- 
lished in  that  newspaper  February  i,  1895,  as  follows: — 

Concord,  N.  H.,  February  i,  1895. 

A  despatch  is  given  to  me,  calling  for  an  interview  to 
answer  for  myself.  Am  I  the  second  Christ? 

Even  the  question  shocks  me.  What  I  am  is  for  God  to 
declare  in  His  infinite  mercy.  As  it  is,  I  claim  nothing  more 
than  what  I  am,  the  Discoverer  and  Founder  of  Christian 
Science,  and  the  blessing  it  has  been  to  mankind  which 
eternity  enfolds. 

My  books  and  teachings  maintain  but  one  conclusion  and 
statement  of  the  Christ  and  the  deification  of  mortals. 

Christ  is  individual,  and  one  w4th  God,  in  the  sense  of 
divine  Principle  and  its  compound  divine  idea. 

There  never  was,  is  not  now,  and  never  can  be,  but  one 
God,  one  Christ,  one  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  Whoever  in  any 
?ge  expresses  most  of  the  spirit  of  Truth  and  Love,  the 
Principle  of  God's  idea,  has  most  of  the  spirit  of  Christ,  of 
that  Mind  which  was  in  Christ  Jesus. 

If  Christian  Scientists  find  in  my  writings,  teachings, 
and  example  a  greater  degree  of  this  spirit  than  in  others, 
they  can  justly  declare  it.  But  to  think  or  speak  of  me 
in  any  manner  as  a  Christ  is  sacrilegious.  Such  a  state- 
ment would  not  only  be  false,  but  the  absolute  antipode  of 


CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE   HISTORY.  39 

Christian  Science,  and  would  savor  more  of  heathenism  than 
of  my  doctrines.  MARY  BAKER  EDDY. 

Again,  in  her  article  in  the  Boston  Journal,  April  ii, 
1899,  she  writes, — 

All  Christian  Scientists  deeply  recognize  the  oneness  of 
Jesus — ^that  he  stands  alone  in  word  and  deed,  the  visible 
discoverer,  founder,  demonstrator,  and  great  Teacher  of 
Christianity,  Whose  sandals  none  may  unloose. 

The  Board  of  Lectureship  is  absolutely  inclined  to  be, 
and  is  instructed  to  be,  charitable  towards  all,  and  hating 
none.  The  purpose  of  its  members  is  to  subserve  the  in- 
terest of  mankind,  and  to  cement  the  bonds  of  Christian 
brotherhood,  whose  every  link  leads  upward  in  the  chain 
of  being.  The  cardinal  points  of  Christian  Science  can- 
not be  lost  sight  of,  namely — one  God,  supreme  infinite, 
and  one  Christ  Jesus. 

The  above  definition  of  her  relation  to  Christian  Science 
and  the  world,  and  also  of  the  oneness  of  Jesus,  has  never 
been  changed  in  the  slightest  degree  by  Mrs.  Eddy.  If 
anything  has  been  said  to  the  contrary,  either  by  her  stu- 
dents or  others,  it  has  been  mistakenly  said.  This  state- 
ment is  republished  as  a  matter  of  simple  justice  to  one 
who,  so  far  from  claiming  to  be  a  Christ,  or  the  Christ, 
is  constantly,  in  a  spirit  of  meekness  and  humility,  affirm- 
ing and  re-affirming  the  allness  and  absolute  supremacy  of 
the  one  and  only  God. 

The  height  of  Mrs.  Eddy's  ambition  is  to  serve  God  by 
bringing  humanity  into  such  a  relationship  with  Him  and 
His  law,  that  all  the  prevailing  discordant  conditions  of  hu- 
manity may  be  wiped  away,  the  promises  of  the  prophets  of 
old  fulfilled,  and  the  teachings  and  works  of  Jesus  the  Christ 
so  understood  that  they  may  be  practically  applied  to  all 
human  conditions.  This  is  her  motive,  her  desire,  her  con- 
stant player,  as  all  know  who  are  brought  into  such  rela- 


*0  CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE   HISTORY. 

tions  with  her  as  to  be  able  intelligently  and  truthfully  to 
state  her  position  and  daily  life. 

Should  I  yield  to  the  impulse,  it  would  lead  me  to  write 
almost  volumes  in  Mrs.  Eddy's  behalf.  Knowing  as  I  do 
her  life-work  and  her  disinterested  desire  to  benefit  and  up- 
lift humanity,  and  knowing  that  if  there  be  on  earth  a  person 
whose  single  purpose  is  to  walk  near  to  God,  it  is  she,  it  is 
difficult  to  drop  this  subject  where  it  now  is,  but  time  and 
space  forbid  me  to  pursue  it  further. 

Boston,  Mass.,  1899.  Septimus  J.  Hanna. 


ADDENDA. 


Since  writing  the  foregoing  a  magazine  article  has  come 
to  my  notice,  in  which  it  is  alleged  that  Mrs.  Eddy  has  kept 
away  from  Boston,  because  she  feared  arrest  on  the  ground 
that,  as  President  of  the  Massachusetts  Metaphysical  Col- 
lege, she  had  issued  illegal  certificates,  and  that  the  district 
attorney  of  Boston  was  in  search  of  her  for  the  purpose  of 
prosecuting  her  on  account  thereof. 

For  the  purpose  of  showing  the  utter  untruthfulness  of 
this  charge  we  republish  from  page  271  of  ''Miscellaneous 
Writings,"  by  Mrs.  Mary  Baker  G.  Eddy,  the  following, 
which  is  not  only  self-explanatory,  but  absolutely  refutes 
this  latest  falsehood. 

The  Massachusetts  Metaphysical  College. 
Much  is  said  at  this  date,  1889,  about  Mrs.  Eddy's 
Massachusetts  Metaphysical  College  being  the  only  char- 
tered College  of  Metaphysics.  To  make  this  plain,  the 
Publishing  Committee  of  the  Christian  Scientist  Association 
has  published  in  the  Boston  Traveler  the  following: — 


CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE   HISTORY.  41 

"To  benefit  the  community,  and  more  strongly  mark  the 
difference  between  true  and  false  teachers  of  mental  heal- 
ing, the  following  history  and  statistics  are  officially  sub- 
mitted : — 

"Rev.  Mary  Baker  G.  Eddy  obtained  a  college  charter  in 
January,  1881,  with  all  the  rights  and  privileges  pertaining 
thereunto  (including  the  right  to  grant  degrees)  under  Act 
of  1874,  Chapter  375,  Section  4. 

"This  act  was  repealed  from  and  after  January  31,  1882. 
Mrs.  Eddy's  grant  for  a  college,  for  metaphysical  purposes 
only,  is  the  first  on  record  in  history,  and  no  charters  were 
granted  for  similar  colleges,  except  hers,  from  January, 
1 88 1,  till  the  repealing  of  said  Act  in  January,  1882. 

"The  substance  of  this  Act  is  at  present  incorporated  in 
Public  Statutes,  Chapter  115,  Section  2,  with  the  following 
important  restrictions: — In  accordance  with  Statutes  of 
1883,  Chapter  268,  any  officer,  agent,  or  servant  of  any  cor- 
poration or  association,  who  confers,  or  authorizes  to  be 
conferred,  any  diploma  or  degree,  shall  be  punished  by  a 
fine  not  less  than  $500,  and  not  more  than  $1,000. 

"All  the  mind-healing  colleges  (except  Rev.  Mrs.  Eddy's) 
have  simply  an  incorporated  grant,  which  may  be  called  a 
charter,  such  as  any  stock  company  may  obtain  for  any 
secular  purposes;  but  these  so-called  charters  bestow  no 
rights  to  confer  degrees.  Hence  to  name  these  institu- 
tions, under  such  charters,  colleges,  is  a  fraudulent  claim. 
There  is  but  one  legally  chartered  college  of  metaphysics, 
with  powers  to  confer  diplomas  and  degrees,  and  that  is 
the  Massachusetts  Metaphysical  College,  of  which  Rev. 
Mrs.  EdJy  is  founder  and  president." 

The  above  is  of  itself  a  complete  refutation  of  the  false- 
hood, but  we  will  say  in  addition,  that,  as  a  matter  of  fact, 
Mrs.  Eddy  has  been  in  Boston  during  week  days  within 


42  CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE    HISTORY. 

the  time  mentioned.  Her  visits  have  been  in  connection 
with  the  Mother  Church,  and  have  been  limited  for  time, 
not  for  any  such  reason  as  that  insinuated,  but  because  of 
her  busy  life  and  the  necessity  of  her  early  return  to  her 
duties  at  Concord.  Nevertheless,  as  we  have  said,  she  has 
been  here  on  week  days. 

We  might  also  add  as  additional  evidence  of  the  folly 
of  such  an  intimation,  that  even  if  it  were  true  that  Mrs. 
Eddy  had  issued  illegal  certificates,  or  had  in  any  way 
violated  the  criminal  laws  of  this  commonwealth  in  such 
a  way  as  to  be  subject  to  arrest,  the  district  attorney  or 
attorney-general  could  at  any  time  have  caused  a  requisition 
to  have  been  sent  by  the  governor  of  Massachusetts  to  the 
governor  of  New  Hampshire  for  her  arrest,  under  which 
she  could  have  been  brought  to  Boston. 

As  to  Edward  J.  Arens. 

I  deem  it  only  fair,  speaking  of  Mr.  Edward  J.  Arens, 
to  say  in  addition  to  what  has  already  been  said  of  him 
and  his  conduct,  that  Mrs.  Eddy  received  him  as  a  stu- 
dent at  the  "Christian  Science  Home,"  in  Lynn,  Mass., 
for  about  a  year,  giving  him  his  board,  rent,  and  tuition 
gratuitously;  but  notwithstanding  this  liberality  and  the 
giving  to  him  of  these  privileges  without  one  cent  of  charge, 
after  leaving  the  Home  and  its  hospitality,  Mr.  Arens 
plagiarized  her  books,  as  shown  in  this  booklet,  and  set 
himself  up  as  a  teacher  of  Christian  Science. 

Mrs.  Eddy  requested  me  to  withhold  Mr.  Arens'  name, 
as  he  has  passed  away  since  the  transactions  herein  related, 
but  at  my  request  she  permitted  the  insertion  of  his  name. 
I  did  this  because  I  deemed  it  best  in  reciting  the  history  of 
the  lawsuit  and  copying  from  the  records,  to  let  the  full 
name  appear. 


CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE    HISTORY.  43 

As  to  Indigent  Students. 
Mrs.  Eddy  taught  many  indigent  students  gratuitously, 
and  one  in  particular  she  thus  taught,  and  issued  to  her  a 
receipt  in  full  for  her  tuition.  This  student  is  now,  as 
a  teacher  and  lecturer,  making  no  small  amount  of  money, 
lias  been  so  doing  for  some  years,  on  the  strength  of  the 
instruction,  reputation,  and  standing  resulting  from  Mrs. 
Eddy's  charity  extended  to  her;  but  notwithstanding  the 
unusual  kindness  shown  her  by  Mrs.  Eddy,  this  student  has 
endeavored  in  every  way  possible  to  injure  her  benefactress. 
These  additional  items  are  mentioned  for  the  purpose  of 
showing  the  strange  ingratitude  on  the  part  of  some  of 
those  to  whom  Mrs.  Eddy,  in  years  past,  has  shown  the 
greatest  kindness. 

Dr.  Quimby's  Last  Sickness. 
It  may  not  have  been  to  the  discredit  of  Dr.  Phineas  P. 
Quimby,  that,  in  his  last  sickness,  he  was  under  the  care  of 
Si  drug  physician,  but  it  does  not  speak  in  the  highest  terms 
for  the  efficacy  of  his  healing  system,  nor  can  it  be  said 
to  be  a  strong  argument  in  favor  of  the  claims  to  refute 
which  this  booklet  is  published.  It  is  well  known  to  every 
intelligent  person  in  these  days  that  Christian  Scientists  rely 
upon  God,  or  divine  Power,  for  their  healing,  in  every  and 
any  emergency,  rather  than  upon  a  human  physician.  It 
is  well  for  disinterested  people,  who  desire  only  to  know 
the  truth,  to  bear  in  mind  this  fact,  and  consider  the  prob- 
abilities and  non-probabilities  of  the  question  in  all  its 
aspects. 

Septimus  J.  Hanna. 


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